Shaft-governor.



PATENTED PEB. 14, 1905.

C. R. MINOR.

SHAFT GOVERNOR. APPLIoAvTIoN FILED APR. 15, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 782.458. A PATENTE) PEB. 14,V190'5.

' ,0.3. MINOR. l

L SHAFT GovBRNoR.

APPLIUATION FILED 23.15. 1904.

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Patented February 14, 1905.

CLARENCE RAY MINOR, SANDUSKY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN RAY, OFSANDUSKY, OHIO.

SHAFT-GOVERNOR..

sPEcIFIcA'IIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,458, datedFebruary 14, 1905.

Application filed April 15, 1904. Serial No. 203,382.

.To all whom it may concern,.- l

Be it known that I, CLARENCE RAY MINOR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sandusky, in the county of Erie and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft-Governors andReversing Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to shaft-governors for regulating the speed ofengines and to means for reversing the direction of rotation ofengine-shafts.

It has for its object the provision in'this type of governor of moreeffective means for opposing the centrifugal action of the weights andalso improvedl means for reversing the motion of the engine, togetherwith the operation of the governor to correspond therewith. Y To theseends my invention consists in the novel features and combinationshereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which-Figure I is an elevation of the outer end of the governor with thecover-plate removed, the shaft and reversing-racks being shown insection. Fig. II is a sectionv taken on line II II of F-ig. I. Fig. IIIis' a section of the governor, taken on line III III of Fig. I, showingthe reversing mechanism, the shaft a and rack l1 being shown in'routsideelevation. Fig. IV is a detached sectional viewof the reversing-platesimilar to that shown in Fig.

III. Fig. V is an outside elevation of the cover-plate.

The reference-letter a indicates the main shaft of the engine. Acylindrical casing b, provided with a tight-iitting`cover-plate c, ismounted upon said shaft and secured thereto by a key d or other suitablemeans. The casing b has a hub e projecting inwardly, and

the cover-plate is secured to said casing by.

screws f. The casing-hub c is elongated or flanged and provided withparallel side faces, as shown, to serve as guides for both thereversing-plate g and the eccentric-plate 7L. The reversing-plate g isnormally held stationary in relation to the casing, but is arranged tobe shifted across the shaft for the purpose of and weights o and .0aanother.

reversing the motion of the engine. Midway of its length saidreversing-plate is provided with a pair of lugs z, one upon each side,projecting' inwardly and having grooves therein through which thespring-rods j may reciprocate. The eccentric-plate it, working againstthe inner face of the casing b, is provided. at its ends withoutwardly-projecting flanges t', having grooves therein fitted toreceive the ends of the said spring-rods j. Surrounding the rods ,7' andabutting against the respective flanges k and the lugs el are two pairsof spiral springs Z and m of substantially equal size and strength andpreferably somewhat in compressionwhen the eccentric-plate is in itsmiddle position. Projecting inwardly through elongated slots in thecasing b, mid- Way of the length of the eccentric-plate 'It andpreferably integral therewith, is a pairof pins a. Secured upon saidypins by suitable means, such as the nuts 0, and bearing against thecasing is an eccentric p, through an elongated slot in which the mainshaft a extends.

ySaid eccentric is provided with the usual encircling strap q, to whichis attachedy a valverod 9, connecting with the intake-valve of theengine, and a shaft-collar s is provided when necessary. It will thus beobserved that the eccentric p and theplate /b are rigidly connectedtogether and arranged to move across the shaft as one piece.

Fulcrumed upon studs ,set into the casing b nearits periphery, are fourcentrifugal weights u,o,w,and m,each provided with an arm y,pro

jecting beyond its fulcrum and adapted to engage-the respective end ofthe eccentric-plate L. The said Weights are arranged to move in pairs,the weights u and w forming one pair This is accomplished, preferably,by means of toothed segments e upon the free ends of the respectiveweights, the segments of each pair'meshing together.

weights normally at their inner positions semicircular plate-springs 2are provided, being secured midway of their lengthsto the inside of thecasing b in any suitable manner, as by bolts 3, and the ends of onespring being hinged,

respectively, to the weights u and o and the For the purpose "of holdingtheends of the other being respectively hinged to the weights w and Thehinge pieces or links are preferably made in two parts, the parts 4being hinged to the weights and the parts 5 being hinged to theends ofthe springs and provided with a shank-screw threaded into the part 4, asshown in Figs. I and II, so that some adjustment may be made tocompensate the tension of the springs relatively to the centrifugalforce of the weights. For adjusting the governor to operate at differingrates of speed I form circular apertures in the weights, some or all ofwhichmay be filled as required with plugs or hollow bushings 6, Fig. I.Apertures are made vin the coverplate c to give access to said'weig'htbushings and are tightly closed by suitable covers, V

which I prefer to form as hinged doors 7, provided, respectively, withspring-buttons-S for keeping ther-n closed. c

he reversing-plate g is slidingly mounted at its ends, respectively,upon rods 9, secured between the hub and flange of the casing in anysuitable way. Skew-rack-teeth 10 ar-e formed upon the inner sides ofsaid plate and adapted to mesh with the respective skew-racks 11, whichare slidingly mounted in suitable channels in the hub e of the casingand project therein through apertures 12 in the coverplate c. The racks11 may travel through the back of the casing and into the elongatedopening in the eccentric p if necessary but in ordinary cases thisexcessive travel will not be required.

Fulcrumed upon a suitable extraneous support, as 13, Fig. III, isahand-lever 14, which should be provided with means for lockingit in itscentral and outermost positionssuch, for example, as the well-knownnotched quadrant 15 and latch The lever 14 is each branch of which isforked or slotted to engage the oppositely-projecting pins 17 ofatwo-part collar 18. The collar 18 is loosely fitted between the flangesof a sliding collar 19,mounted upon the main shaft and carrying theskew-racks l1. Stops 2O may be provided to prevent excessive travel ofthe reversingplate g.

In the operation of the mechanism when the lever 14 is thrown over toone of its extreme positionsvit will readily be seen that the skewracksmeshing with the reversing-plate g will shift the latter and with it theeccentric-plate L and eccentric p to their outer positions upon one sideof the main shaft, and since said eccentric is operatively connectedwith the slidevalve of the engine the position of said valve will besuch in relation to the crank-shaft that steam will enter the cylinderto drive the engine in one direction, and by throwing the lever 14 toits other extreme position the said parts, including the eccentric, willbe shifted to the opposite side of the main shaft, effecting a'change inthe initial position of the slide- 16, engaging therewith. provided witha bifurcated end` valve, whereby steam will enter the` cylinder at suchtimes that the engine will be driven in the opposite direction. It willalso be observed that when the hand-lever 14 is thrown over to one ofits outer positions one end of the eccentric-plate la will bearagainstthe arms 1/ of two of the weights. When the engine is at rest, theweightsassume the inner positions, as shown in Fig. I, with their endsabutting, respectively, against the ends ofthe opposite weights. Whenthe engine is running and tends to exceed its normal rate of speed, theweights are swung outward by the centrifugal force of revolution, asshown by dotted lines in Fig. I, overcoming the resistance of theplate-springs 2 and the pair of spiral springs or m, according as theengine is running in one direction or the other, and shifting the plate/i and eccentric p toward their central position, thereby decreasing thetravel of the engine slide-valve and cutting off the iiow of pressureiiuid to the engine-cylinder earlier in the stroke Vof the piston, andconversely as the speed tends to decrease the weights swing inward andthe springs Z or m force the eccentric toward its outer position, whereit makes the valve travel farther, thus admitting more pressure fluid tothe cylinder.

Having now so fully described my invention that those skilled in the artto which it appertains can make and use it, either in the form shownherein or under some modilication thereof, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is`

1. In a governor for engines, the combination with a rotatable shaft, ofaslidable plate suitably mounted upon the shaft, an eccentric attachedlto said plate and operatively connected to the pressure-fiuid-admissionvalve of the engine, spring-cushioned means for holding said plate andsliding it across the shaft, centrifugal weights arranged to revolvewith the shaft and to engage directly with said slidable plate and shiftits position according as the speed of revolution varies, approximatelysemicircular plate-springs adapted to oppose the outward movement ofsaid weights, and adjustable hinged links connecting said weightsrespectively to the extremities of said plate-springs, substantially asset forth.

In a governor for engines, the combination with a rotatable shaft, of aslidable plate suitably mounted upon the shaft, an eccentric attached tosaid plate and operatively connected to the pressure-fluid-admissionvalve of the engine, a reversing-plate operatively connected throughsuitable springs with said slidable plate, means for holding saidreversing-plate and shifting it across the shaft, centrifugal weightsarranged to revolvewith the shaft and to engage directly with saidslidableplate and shift its position in relation to said reversing-plateaccording as the speed of revolution varies, and approximatelysemicircular plate-springs adapted to oppose the loutward IOO movementof said Weights, substantially as set forth.

3. In a governor for engines, the combination with a rotatable shaft, ofa slidable plate suitably mounted upon the shaft, an eccentric attachedto said plate and operatively connected to the pressure-fluid-admissionvalve of the engine, a reversing-plate connected through suitablesprings with said slidable plate and provided with diagonal gear-teeth,centrifugal Weights and opposing springs adaptedv to engagedirectly withsaid slidable plate, racks mounted to reciprocate parallel vvith theshaft having skew-teeth fitted to mesh with the teeth on saidreversing-plate, and means for holding and reciprocating said racks,substantially as set forth. l

4. In a governor for engines, the combination with a rotatable shaft, ofa slidable plate suitably mounted upon the shaft, an eccentric attachedto said plate and operatively connected to the pressure-fluid-admissionvalve of the engine, a reversing-plate connected through suitablesprings with said slidable plate and provided With diagonal gear-teeth,centrifugal Weights and opposing springs adapted to engage directly Withsaid slidable plate, a collar slidingly mounted upon the shaft, rackscarried by said collar having skew-teeth fitted to mesh With the teethon said reversing-plate to shift the latter across the shaft, andsuitable means for sliding said collar along the shaft and locking it inrequisite positions, substantially as set forth.

5. In a governor for engines, the combination with a rotatable shaft, ofa slidable plate suitably mounted upon the shaft, an eccentric attachedto said plate and operatively connected to the pressure-Huid-admissionvalve of the to mesh With the teeth on said reversing-plate to shift thelatter across the shaft, areversinglever mounted upon anextraneoussupport provided With means for sliding said collar along theshaft, and means for locking the reversing mechanism, substantially asset forth.

6. lIn a governor for engines, the combination with a rotatable shaft,of a governorcasing rigidly mounted thereon, a slidable plate suitablymounted in said casing, an eccentric attached to said plate andoperatively connected to the pressure-fiuid-admission valve'of theengine, a reversing-plate connected through suitable springs With saidslidable plate and provided With diagonal gear-teeth, centrifugalWeights and opposing springs adapted to engage directly With saidslidable plate, racks mounted in suitable bearings in saidcasing toreciprocate parallel with the shaft having skew-teeth fitted to meshWith the teeth on said reversing-plate, and means for holding andreciprocating said racks, substantially as set forth. I

In testimony whereof Iaifix my signature, in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses, at Sandusky, Ohio, this 12th day of April, 1904.

CLARENCE RAY MINOR. i

Witnesses:

C. H. CRAMER, JOHN RAY.

